: allowing no middle ground between success and failure

Examples of make-or-break in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These aren’t academic questions — they’re make-or-break considerations for investment decisions, whether measured in hundreds of thousands or billions of dollars. Rob Day, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025 Is this a make-or-break draft for JS, especially if the line doesn’t improve? Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025 Constantin’s high-stakes bet could be a make-or-break test of the global appeal of premium European fantasy. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Mar. 2025 In a city where up to 60% of households in some neighborhoods do not have access to a car, the Maryland Transit Administration plays a make-or-break role. Holly Arnold, Baltimore Sun, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for make-or-break

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of make-or-break was in 1919

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Cite this Entry

“Make-or-break.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make-or-break. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

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